In a customer service environment, where a number of electrical and electronic components are utilized in the course of a transaction, difficulty arises in the placement and interconnection of such components relative to the service counter. The foregoing is particularly evident when an existing counter is to be retrofitted to accept such components.
For example, in the proposed updating of the window clerk workstation presently used by the U.S. Postal Service, a problem exists in the placement of components such as respective dual CRT displays for the clerk and customer, a load cell or scale for weighing mail pieces, meter strip and customer receipt printers and a central processing unit. Obviously, insufficient area exists on the counter top to accommodate all of the required components. Additionally, assuming that the components could be mounted on the counter, substantially large holes would have to be drilled in the counter to permit the passage of power and communication cables therethrough. Since each component generally requires at least a power cable and a pair of communication cables, it is apparent that the underside of the counter will be cluttered with a mass of cable connections. Another significant factor is that the installation of such components is both costly and time consuming--requiring the services of a carpenter, an electrician and a computer technician. Considering the Postal Service application alone, approximately 35,000 locations with an average of three window clerk workstations at each location would require updating.
A need exists for a modular electrical equipment housing which may be easily and quickly installed preferably by one person on an existing counter, without the need for altering the counter top. The modular housing of the present invention which comprises a pre-wired integral unit and which slides onto and under a counter fills such a need.